Werewolf at Hogwarts
by Matiea
Summary: new character, new group, the marauder's reborn?


Mia woke to a strange fluttering outside her window. She checked her clock, it was 11:49 PM. She'd only slept two hours. Disgusted she turned over and tried to sleep again, but she heard a tapping at the window. Standing u[ groggily she shuffled over to the small window in the stuffy attic room that she shared with her snoring 9 yr. old twin cousins. Mia hated them more then any other person in her family. Her aunt was alone, looking after Mia and her cousins. It was tough on all of them but Mia's older cousins took it out on her the worst, saying that they would have been fine if she had never shown up. Worse then that, her parents were related to their deceased father. So Mia had no way of finding out who her parents were, with their lower middle class budget. She didn't even know their names.  
As she thought over her dilemma Mia had opened the window and was startled when an owl flew through it. The small barn owl dropped something into her hands then quickly left. The package it had dropped seemed pretty thick to her in the dark. Quietly Mia closed the window and tiptoed down the stairs to the bathroom. Once there she took her first look at the letter. The address read:  
  
Mrs. M. Monette  
The Attic   
9 Ashley Drive   
London   
  
'Weird' she thought as she broke the strange seal on the back and took out three pieces of folded parchment. The first piece read:  
  
Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizendry  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc, Chf. Warlock,   
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)  
  
Dear Mrs. Monette,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizendry. Please   
find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins 1 September. We await your owl by   
no later then 31 July.  
  
Yours sincerely,   
Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress.  
  
Confused Mia opened the second bit of parchment. It was indeed a list of equipment she suspected was used in witchcraft. It included a school uniform, spell books, a wand, and other such things.  
Even more confused, Mia opened the third, and last, bit of parchment. This one said that a representative from Hogwarts would be stopping by to talk to her. Needless to say, Mia was even more confused and scared at this moment. She knew her aunt wouldn't appreciate someone showing up at her house. Nope, not good, not good at all. Worst of all, she had no owl, or whatever, to send a warning to them. DRATS. Tired she stuffed the letter into the back pocket of her jeans, and crept back to bed.  
*  
Things were totally different for Jenni. She lived with her father in a huge house. She was from a wizarding family, her grandfather was an old school friend of Dumbledore himself. Jenni recalled the stories that he told her about his time at Hogwarts. They were exciting. One in particular included the squid and some mermaids in the lake. That was her favorite. Now she was going to Hogwarts. The letter was sitting on her lap, she read it over and over, smiling happily. Finally she would get to meet the man of the stories that had plagued her childhood. Today was the day she'd go to Diagon Alley to get her school stuff. Her dad had promised. Not that Jenni ever really believed her dad, he tended to lie a lot. Of course, with her mom and grandparents dead she had no one else.  
"Hey honey." Jenni's father said as he came into the room, "You're going to have to go to Diagon Alley on your own." As he said this Matthew Ross (her father) winced at the thought of her only daughter walking alone down a dark alley.  
"Okay dad." Jenni told her father as he handed her a tiny gold Gringott key. She wasn't to upset, her father almost always did stuff like that. Promising one thing and doing another was the way he did things. Being able to go so far all on her own was something she'd never done before, usually she just couldn't go and would have to stay in their huge, mansion like house, alone.  
"If you aren't back by suppertime, young lady, I may be forced to revoke all of your privilege for the rest of the summer." he said with a very stern look.  
When Jenni thought that she was ready to go, she grabbed some floo powder and threw it into the fire. Shouting 'Diagon Alley', she flew through the air. Spinning and spinning she finally stopped in what appeared to be a book store. The room she stepped into was full of books, books and more books. Looking around she watched as a young man came up and said to her, "Welcome to Flourish and Blotts."  
"Um, hi." Jenni replied, "Where can I find Gringotts?"  
"Out the door, across the street, and to your left, I'm sure you'll see it." he told her, grinning somewhat oddly.  
"Uh thanks." she told, and walked out of the store. On the street, Jenni was over whelmed. There were people everywhere, storefronts lined the street, and there was Gringotts, right across the street. That was a major problem however. People were packed into the street with barely any breathing room. This was not good.  
*  
Mia was alone. She hadn't told her aunt or anyone about the letter. During the summer everyone went out to various jobs that they had. Mia had her flower shop, Dawn and Christine had their jobs, and her other cousins did odd jobs for their neighbors. Mia liked it at her job but on this day she called in sick. The night before an owl had come. The letter said that today (July 28) a representative from the school would take her to buy her school supplies. The best part of that was that today her aunt had two part-time jobs so wouldn't be back till the next morning.  
Then 'pop'. Standing before her was a man with a long silver beard. He was wearing a long violet rode with a pointed hat. Half-moon spectacles sat at the edge of his slightly crooked nose. In his hand he held a long, straight stick, which Mia suspected was his magic wand.  
"My name is Professor Albus Dumbledore." he told her smiling, "I'll be taking you to Diagon Alley, Mrs. Monette. Oh, I remember your mother when she came to school..."  
"You knew my mother?" Mia asked amazed. She had never met someone who knew her parents. Then again she had never met a real wizard before either.  
"Why yes my dear, she went to Hogwarts for five years. Then unfortunately she disappeared and never came back. I never did see her after that." he said looking thoughtful, "Now then, how about we get going." Dumbledore continued taking a packet of something out of his robe.  
"Uh, okay." Mia said slightly saddened by the end of their conversation, "What is that?" she asked pointing to the packet, that he was now opening.  
"This is floo powder. It is one way wizards use to get around." he explained pouring a small amount of the glittering powder into his hand. Then he threw it into the fire he had made.  
"How does it work?" Mia asked, looking intently into the now emerald green flames.  
"You step into the fire, shout 'Diagon Alley' and tuck your elbows in." he said gesturing towards the fire. Taking a hint, Mia did as she was told. Hugging herself tightly, she shouted 'Diagon Alley' and was sent spinning. When she stopped, she stepped out of a fireplace and into what looked like a library or a bookstore.  
"Ah, good, Flourish and Blotts." Dumbledore said coming up beside her, "You'll get your books here. But first let's go across the street to the bank."  
As they walked out into the street Dumbledore took her across the street. This was slow work however due to the large crowd. Eventually they came to huge bronze doors that were opened by a weird being that didn't look entirely human.  
"Professor," Mia began, "What was that?" she asked looking up into his twinkling blue eyes.  
"That was one of the many Gringott goblins. They rum the bank. Not to worry, they're quite nice, most of the time." he told her when he saw her surprised look. After they passed through large silver doors, they walked up to a till where a cranky looking goblin sat.  
"Hello, we would like to get some money out of vault 39." Dumbledore told the surly goblin, taking out a small gold key. After looking at it for a while the goblin nodded.  
"You there, Goblock, take these two with you as well. He will take you to your vault." the goblin said gesturing for them to follow another goblin and a tall, blonde girl.  
*  
Jenni was surprised when the two people jumped into the car behind her. One was a girl of medium height, with long strawberry blonde hair, and yellowish green eyes. The man sitting beside her was tall with silver hair and beard. She was wearing muggle clothes, he a violet robe and wizard hat. She didn't know either of them but the mane seemed somehow familiar. Weird. They stopped at Jenni's vault first. Goblock got out with her and opened the vault. Inside there were hills of bronze knuts, silver sickles, and gold galleons. Jenni took out several handfuls of each and put them into her satchel. When she got back in the cart, the man leaned forward and asked Jenni if he could borrow some coins to she Mia, the girl.  
"Uh, sure." she said, "Is it okay if I ask your name though?" she asked passing the coins to him.  
"Yes of course." he said, "My name is Albus Dumbledore." he told her with a smile as he took the coins.  
'So this is Dumbledore.' she thought finally fixing a face to all her grandfather's stories. The famous Dumbledore, her grandfather's friend. The person her grandfather had told Jenni about in her youth. Before he died. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about that.  
Then Jenni's thoughts were interrupted by Goblock stopping the cart and getting out with Mia.   
*  
As the door to vault number thirty-nine opened, Mia marveled at the mounds of gold, silver, and bronze. She opened the satchel she held and slowly counted in 30 galleons, 35 sickles, and 40 knuts. Mia liked to have, even a slightly, ordered life. After closing the door she climbed in the cart again and took out her supply list. Dumbledore was now talking to the girl in front of them, Mia hadn't caught her name, so she busied herself with reading the supply list over again.  
Once outside in the fresh air, Dumbledore asked Mia if Jenni could join them. Mia, being a kind and gentle person, had no problems with this, so the three of them headed back to Flourish and Blotts where they bought the books they'd need for school. Next the went down to the Apothecary for potion ingredients, then they bought cauldrons, scales, and crystal phials. Dumbledore then took the girls to Madam Malkin's to get their robes.  
"Hogwarts?" the shopkeeper asked, "Right then into the back with you two, we've got two others back there already." she told them.  
"Mia, Jenni, I will be next door if I'm not back when you're done." Dumbledore told them as Madam Malkin ushered them into the back where a boy and girl were standing on stools, having long black robes fitted to the proper lengths. They both had brown hair and eyes, and looked almost like twins.  
"Hi, my name is Magda Tudor. This is my brother Marc." the girl said, flashing straight white teeth.  
"My name is Jenni Ross."Jenni told the twins, "What house do you want to be in?" she asked looking at each in turn.  
"Gryffindor," Magda said, "It's one of the best houses I'd say."  
"Hey, my grandfather was in Gryffindor." Jenni said, then the two of them went off on this tangent about how great Gryffindor was. Mia decided not to listen after they started naming all the great witches and wizards that had come from Gryffindor. Marc hadn't been paying attention since the girls had walked in. The slightly smaller girl, with long strawberry blonde hair and large yellowish green eyes had captured his complete attention.  
Because everyone else was preoccupied, Mia was the only one who noticed when Dumbledore returned. As he walked in, he smiled at Mia, then noticed Marc, who was still staring, and did a little laugh when he heard Jenni and Magda, who were now going over different spells.  
"Hello professor Dumbledore. Did you find what you were looking for?" Mia asked, seeing a package under his arm.  
"Why yes I did." he told her, "Are you two ready to go?"  
"Yes they are sir." Madam Malkin told him. So Jenni said goodbye, as they paid for their uniforms and then left the shop to get their wands.  
Ollivander's wand shop was full of boxes. A wand lay on a faded pillow in the window. "Hello, it is good to see you. Ah two young witches, fetching their wands." Ollivander said turning to Jenni, "Ah yes, your father was in here not long ago, yes, holly 11 ½ inches, good for transfiguration. Yes well lets get your measurements." he told her looking off into the distance. He then took out a self-measuring tape that began measuring Jenni.  
"Here try this one, unicorn hair, oak, 8"." Olivander said giving her a wand. She took it and brought it down in an arc and had it snatched out of her hand. Olivander did this numerous times until, "Here, unicorn hair and ash, 10 ½"." passing her yet another wand. This time, however, there was a crackle of sparks as she brought it down. This was obviously what Olivander was looking for because he clapped his hands and said, "Superb."  
Then it was Mia's turn. She went through about twenty-five wands until she found one. Her's was Dragon heartstring, cedar, 13". They bought the wands and headed back to Flourish and Blotts to go back home.  
*  
August 31, at 8:00 PM, Mia decided to leave. When she had gotten back from Diagon Alley, she had hidden her trunk full of school stuff in the backyard. Today, though, was the day she wanted to go to King's Cross station. So, when the rest of the house was asleep, Mia crept outside and pulled her trunk to the road. They had a small wagon in their yard, so Mia put her trunk on that to make it easier to pull. She was at the main road when the sun went down, so Mia took out her wand and lighted the end with a spell she had found. So on she trudged, dragging her trunk behind her.  
Mia reached the train station during the early morning hours (6 o'clock). She turned off her wand and opened her trunk. Inside she had arranged her stuff in an organized manner. Her spell books were stacked in one corner beside her cauldron full of potion ingredients. Her clothes were piled in the other corner. In the middle she packed her telescope, brass scales, and phials, with a bunch of seeds that she had collected. This was her seed collection she had owned for as long as she could remember. She also had a chain in there which she then put on. It had a nice silver moon pendant on it. It was her most prized posession. She also took out her ticket. It said that 'Hogwarts Express' would be leaving platform 9 3/4 at 11 o'clock. That was Mia's first problem, finding platform 9 3/4. Since it was only 6 o'clock in the morning, she decided she needed to rest. So Mia sat down by the wall between platforms 9 and 10, and leaned back against the barrier, and sank right through it.  
Surprised, Mia jumped up and looked around. Directly above her was a sign that said '9 3/4.' She cheered, much happier now that she was in the right place. On the tracks in front of her was a large scarlet engine that read 'Hogwarts Express.' With another cheer, Mia grabbed her trunk and jumped aboard.  
*  
"But Dad! This is the biggest moment of my life, and you won't even be there." Jenni screamed at her father.  
"Jenni, I don't want to hear another word. Now you are going to go to King's Cross right now!" he screamed back at her. He then picked her up and carried her outside, deposited her in the taxi with her trunk, then slammed the door. This did not make Jenni happy at all. She had been trying to make her father go with her. He told her just this morning that she'd have to go alone.   
She spewed over this the entire way into London, to the station. The taxi driver dropped her trunk onto a trolley and then drove off. Looking at her watch Jenni saw that it was 10:30, half an hour to go before the train left. Sp taking her trolley she pushed it into the barrier between 9 and 10. Her grandpa had told her how to get onto the platform years ago. She wasn't scared, she had an idea of what to expect, that is except the crowed.  
After stepping through the barrier, Jenni was met by the sight of a maroon train and a crowd of people who were surrounding it. Pushing her way through the crowd she pulled her trolley on to the train and started to look for an empty compartment. She found one, and started trying to pull her trunk into it.  
"Hey do you need a hand with that?" a voice asked beside her. Looking up she found a boy standing there looking at her. He had dark slightly wavy hair, storm grey eyes, and a smile that made her want to melt. Gathering herself, Jenni nodded and watched him call into the next compartment. Three more boys came out including Marc Tudor.   
The four boys easily lifted the trunk and deposited it inside. Then Marc, told his friends that he had to check on his sister, and left, leaving Jenni with three unknown guys.  
"Hi." the first guy said stepping forward, "My name is Eric. This is Luke," he said pointing to the boy with light blond hair, "And this is John." pointing to the other guy, who had dark hair and eyes.  
"My name is Jenni." she told them, finding her voice at last.  
"Jenni, that's a nice name." Eric said sitting next to her on the end of the bench, "I'm in Hufflepuff, second year." he told her looking down with twinkling eyes.  
"Second year? Oh how is it like?" Jenni asked him interested.  
"Well, first year is kind of difficult. You have to learn where all your classes are, the tricky steps too." he told her, quite happy with all the attention she was giving him.   
"Tricky steps?"  
"Yeah, steps that aren't really there. You'll have to jump those." he answered.  
"Oh, I see. What about the common rooms?" Jenni asked. So the two of them went off on a tangent. Luke and John left, thoroughly bored by the two of them. So the two second year friends walked down the hall going into the compartments to say 'hi' to everyone. At the very end of the train they came upon a girl who was sleeping. Walking in they saw that she was alone. Her head was lying on her arm and light, strawberry blond hair covered her face.  
Motioning for Luke to be silent, John crept closer and lightly brushed the girl's hair away from her face.  
"Wow." he said surprised at the beauty. Luke was similarly stunned. Then she woke up  
*  
Mia had gone to sleep when she got on the train, considering how tired she was. While she slept, she felt a slight tickling sensation on her face. Wondering what it was, Mia woke up to find two fairly tall guys standing over her. Totally scared out of her wits, she screamed. Then the boy with dark hair and black eyes covered her mouth with his hands.  
"Shh." he breathed as he leaned over her, "We won't hurt you. I'm going to take my hand away now, okay? Just don't scream." he said. Mia nodded and he moved his hands away from her face.  
"Hi, I'm Luke, and this is John." the other boy said stepping forward. Looking between the two, Mia couldn't decide if she could trust these two, Luke and John. 'On the other hand,' she thought, 'I could use some company.'  
"My name is Mia, Monette." she ventured still shifting her gaze from one to the other, "Have either of you been to Hogwarts before?" she asked, hopeful for an affirmative.  
"Yes, actually, we went last year." John said beaming at Luke, as if they were reminiscing.   
"Remember Quirrel?" Luke asked, "Wasn't he a nut?" he said laughing.  
"Who's Quirrel?" Mia asked, wondering what they were talking about.  
"Well Mia," John started sitting beside her on the pillowed bench, "Quirrel was the Defense against the Dark Arts professor last year. He was a crazy git he was, always stuttering. Apparently found 'You know who' and began hauling him around..." he explained stopping at Mia's apparent confusion.  
"Who's 'You know who'?" she asked.  
"Um... Well." Luke said sitting on Mia's other side, "'You know who' is Lord Voldemort." he said shivering, "He was a powerful dark wizard who killed anyone who disagreed with him. Lot's of deaths back then I tell ya."  
"Then he went to kill the Potters." John continued, "Lily and James. Nice people according to my parents. Anyway 'You know who' killed them and tried to kill their son, Harry. For some reason, though, his spell backfired and almost destroyed him, and Harry lived. Now Harry's in Gryffindor with our friend Marc Tudor at Hogwarts." he told her.  
"Marc? Does he have a sister named Magda?" Mia asked them, remembering the two kids at Madam Malkin's robe shop.  
"Yeah he does. Do you know them?" they asked together, both of them looking at her.   
"Well I think I do." she started slightly bothered by their disbelieving looks, "They were in Madam Malkin's when I got my robes with Jenni." then after seeing their even more startled looks, she asked, "What?"  
"Jenni? As in blond hair blue eyes?" Luke asked.  
"Uh yeah." she said a scared kind of cornered look in her eye. When he saw this John backed down. He smiled at her.  
"We met her, helped get her trunk in her compartment." John explained putting a consoling arm around her.  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, the two of us, Marc and Eric." Luke told her.  
"Who's Eric?"  
"Eric's a friend of ours. He's in Hufflepuff." Luke was saying.  
"Oh are we interrupting an important conference?" a low drawling voice called from the doorway. Looking they saw three boys. Two of them were like large lumbering boulders, the third was smaller, thin with almost white hair.   
"What do you want Malfoy?" John asked, standing up.  
"Why I'm trying to find Potter." he replied, "Of course, can't say no to a bit of lovely female companionship." he said eyeing Mia with interest.  
"Leave Draco." Luke told him, John took out a wand from inside his cloak, Luke following suit.  
"Fine, fine, don't get into a hissy fit." Draco said backing off, "I'll get you later sweet thing." he told Mia, before turning around and leaving with the two walking boulders.  
"Who was that?" Mia asked when the boys sat down again.  
"Draco Malfoy and his cronies. He's in Slytherin with me." John told her, a look of disgust on his face, "Listen Mia, stay away from him. Most all Slytherin are scum. He's gonna hurt you Mia, I can't let him do that." John told her looking deep into her yellowish green eyes with his own, which are black.  
John put his arm around her again and the three continued their light conversation until the train stopped at the station.  
"Hey c'mon." Luke said standing and pulling Mia to her feet and out of the compartment. John grabbed her other hand and let Luke lead the two of them out of the train and up to a tall scraggly man who was yelling 'O'er here firs' years!'  
"Okay Mia. We have to go grab a carriage. You get to take a boat ride." Luke said grinning. So after putting her in a boat, Luke and John waved goodbye and left her alone.  
"No more'n four to a boat." the huge man called as everyone scrambled into their boats. Mia was joined by three boys she didn't know, "Right then, Forward!"  
All of a sudden the boats moved forward across the lake, under a cliff and into an underground tunnel where the stopped in a huge cavern. Once they hit the beach everyone jumped out, looking around the cavern.   
"Right then, everyone here? Lets go." the huge man said knocking three times on the doorway. A tall witch opened it, she had a stern face and her hair was pulled in a tight bun.  
"Firs' years Proffessor McGonagall."  
"Thank you, Hagrid. This way." Professor McGonagall told them as she led them inside. Stopping by two doors she turned back to them and said, "Welcome to Hogwarts, the stat of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. Your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. During the year your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose points. At the end of the year the house cup will be awarded to the house with the most points. Now into the Great Hall and we'll start the ceremony." she explained to them. Once she finished she led them into the hall and up to the head table where the staff sat. She placed a tattered hat on a stool and stepped to the side. Everyone in the hall looked expectantly at the hat and suddenly a tear opened and the brim and it sang:   
'So you want to go to Hogwarts school,  
The greatest magical place of all.  
Now your in for a treat,  
Going to Hogwarts is always a ball.  
  
In the begining there were four,  
Witches and Wizards who taught,  
Their magic inspired students  
To understand what they all saught.  
  
Each had their own way,  
To think, teach, and live their live.  
So each built themselves a house,  
Where their students would toil and strife.  
  
Those who are kind daring and brave,  
Great Gryffindor opened his door to.  
For those who are hard working and loyal,  
Kind Hufflepuff would say 'welcome' to.  
  
Ravenclaw looked for those,  
Who have a clever mind.  
Any who wished to prove themselves,  
Would find among Slytherin their kind.  
  
Where you go I will choose,  
So put me and see,  
Which house that you belong to,  
Where you ought to be.'  
  
The hat went silent as it finished its song. Then the hall burst with appreciative applause. When that died down, Professor McGonagall stepped forward.  
"When I call out your name step up and put the hat on." she told them. "Beaudion, Nikita." a girl with dark hair stepped forward, 'Slytherin' the table second from the right started clapping as Nikita ran to sit down. Mia saw John sitting there clapping with the rest.  
"Boisvert, Ted" McGonagall shouted. One of the boys that had been in Mia's boat stepped forward and became a Hufflepuff. After awhile it became Mia's turn.  
"Monette, Mia." she walked forward and put the hat on.  
'Hmm,' a voice said in her ear, 'yes, clever, ready mind. You belong in Ravenclaw.' She stood up, took the hat off and walked towards the Ravenclaw table. Luke was sitting at the far end, near the door and Mia saw him beckon her. So she went and sat beside him midst the applause that followed her along the table. When she sat down she noticed, surprisingly, that Marc Tudor was sitting behind her.  
"Hey there." he said leaning across the space, "I always wondered what your name was." he was saying looking pointedly at her.  
"Why were you wondering that?" Mia asked Marc, looking innocently naive. Marc, despite his off handed posture, blushed profusely.  
"Because you never told me, or Magda, when you came in Madam Malkin's that time." he told her, "I know you saw me staring at you."  
Any other conversation between the two was abandoned when Jenni came up and sat beside Marc.  
"Mia I made it." she said, and the two hugged. They were soon joined by Magda and the three girls quietly gabbed through the rest of the sorting. When the ceremony finished Professor Dumbledore stood and all went quiet.  
"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! I have two words, Tuck in." he announced to the hall as he sat in his beautifully ornate chair. Mia watched the table as she ate the feast talking quietly to Luke ans listening to the conversations around them. As she watched a black haired teacher with a hooked nose walked to professor McGonagall and talked quietly to her. Then the two of them left together. A little while later Dumbledore left also.  
"Luke, um, do you know a teacher with black, greasy hair, hooked nose?" Mia asked turning to him.  
"Yeah Professor Snape, Potions master." he told her looking amused, "Not very nice. He's the head of the Slytherin house."  
"Oh, he looked very pleased about something."  
"Hmm.." he started, but was cut off when Dumbledore stood. Not having noticed the return of the three professors, Mia was startled, Snape looked furious at something.  
"Ahem, just a few words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start of the term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch." he told the hall, that listened silently, "Now off to bed."  
Standing, Luke turned to Mia, "Would you like an escort to the common room miss." he asked bowing and offering his arm.  
"Why thank you sir." Mia answered taking it. The two of them walked out of the Great Hall behind the other Ravenclaws. In the entrance hall, Mia watched as the Gryffindors walked up the marble staircase, the Hufflepuffs walked through a door that led downstairs, the Slytherins went down another staircase, and the Ravenclaws walked to a corner door. The door had a silver latch that opened for the leading people at a touch. Inside was a small staircase going down. Together the Ravenclaws walked down the stairs, turned left and went through a silver door that only opened if you pressed a certain bolt. Behind the door was a silver staircase spiraling up, the bronze door at the top led to a long hallway that ended in a wall. The prefects that led walked straight into it and disappeared. Luke leaned close.  
"You should be careful going through here, it turns sharply past the wall." he told her as they too stepped into the seemingly solid wall. Past the wall was another corridor made of white marble. The hall was lined with pictures and suits of armor. To her surprise they moved. Next they came to yet another door which led up another set of stairs. It seemed to Mia as though they were inside a tower. Then they were outside. Startled Mia looked around. They were walking on a bridge that crossed to another tower. They walked around the tower to steps that crossed yet another gap.  
"Do we have to do this every time we want to go to the common room?" Mia asked tentatively.  
"Of course not. This is a special way for the first time. Shows off the castle." Luke answered, ducking to pass through the window.  
After going up and down many more staircases the Ravenclaws came to a dead end hallway hidden behind a tapestry. Halfway down this corridor they came up to a picture of a turning globe.   
"The password is 'Hogsmede.'" the prefect told them as the door opened to a bronze inlaid staircase that led to a large oval chamber.  
The common room had, blue carpets and furniture (mainly armchairs), the walls were white marble and torches were hung in intervals from bronze brackets that looked like eagles. There were two fire places, each with a blazing fire within. Huge bookcases were set up all around, but none had any books on them.  
"Luke, why are there no books in the bookcases?" Mia asked.  
"Oh, that's where you can put your schoolbooks. The dormitories are hidden behind them. That one's yours."he said pointing to one that was two over from the staircase they had just walked up (That was now hidden by another bookcase that held a globe and other objects.).  
"I suggest you go and sleep. I'll wake you up tomorrow and show you haow to get to your classes, alright?"  
"That'd be great Luke." she said giving him a hug. Then she followed the other first year girls through the bookcase, down a flight of stairs, and into another oval chamber. The floor, walls and ceiling were blue marble and around the room were four, four poster beds with navy blue curtains and Mediterranean blue sheets. Mia found her bed and flopped into it falling asleep instantly.  
*  
When Mia awoke the next morning , she smiled. She couldn't be happier. Turning she saw that it was only five o'clock in the morning. Shrugging she got out of bed and pulled on her robes. Looking into her trunk, she took her books out and carried them p into the common room. No one else was up so she put her books on one shelf, placing them in a n order that pleased her, then went back to her trunk. She took out the black bag that she had bought in Diagon alley. Next she took out some quills and ink and stuffed them in their places. Satisfied she took them into the common room and put the bag on the shelf next to her books. The she plumped into one of the blue armchairs. In a few moments Luke came in, with his stuff, and smiled at her.  
"I see I'm not the only early riser." he said with a laugh, "C'mon, let's go get an early breakfast so we have lots of exploring time." Laughing the two left the common room. They raced down the corridor and burst through the tapestry. Turning, they went the opposite way from where they came the night before, "This is the easy way." Luke explained to her as they walked down a hidden staircase. After a long time they came to the bottom and walked out of the sliding wall, that opened when touched on the center brick. They came out directly across from another staircase that led up to the corner door in the entrance hall.  
"Okay, that was totally easier." Mia said laughing as they sat together at the Ravenclaw table for a small breakfast of fresh juicy fruit. Being the only two in the hall they had to search the table until they found the first and second year timetables. Mia had Transfiguration first, Luke had charms.  
"So Mia, where do you want to go first?" Luke asked with a smile.  
"Well...Let's start at the bottom and work our way up." she said, laughing as they both stood and ran out of the hall.  
*  
Yawning Magda awoke in the first year girl's dormitory. Rotating her neck she swept aside the scarlet curtains and got out of bed. She rummaged through her trunk and pulled out her black robes. After she was presentable she raced down the stairs crashing into Jenni and Marc.  
"You know, next time you should warn us before you run down the stairs." Marc said, glaring from the floor. The three of them burst out laughing at that. They continued laughing all the way to breakfast. When they got there Marc started to talk to the other second years as Magda and Jenni talked over their schedules.  
"So we have Defense against the Dark Arts." Magda was saying, "Hey Marc, where's the Defense against the Dark Arts room?" she asked turning to her older brother, who was talking to the red-haired boy next to him.  
"What?"  
"Where is the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom?"  
"Why are you asking me?"  
"Marc, you're a second year. Who else would we ask?" Jenni said sternly.  
"Hey, we found our own way, you can find yours." the red headed boy told them from Marc's other side.  
"Who the hell are you?" Jenni asked him, staring testily at him from across the table. The boy returned her glare just as testily.  
"I'm Ron."  
"Oooh, I am so sorry, all and mighty Ron." Magda said, laughing and doing lots of fake bows in his direction. Some other Gryffindors laughed along as Ron went pink in the face. At that moment the door opened as Luke and Mia ran in to sit at the Ravenclaw table.  
"Hey Luke, are you running late for the first time?" Marc asked laughing.  
"Luke is late?" john asked coming over with another boy. The two sat next to Mia.  
"Late? We weren't late, we only came here to say hi to you late people." Mia said laughing with Luke, both still flushed from their exertions.  
"Excuse me, you just got here. We've been here for half an hour." Magda told the two Ravenclaws.  
"What, you expect us to sit here for four hours? No way."  
"Then where did you go?" the other boy asked.  
"I showed Mia around the castle, so she wouldn't get lost." Luke told them, "Oh, and Mia, I must commenerate you on your sense of direction."  
"Thanks Luke." she replied giving him a small hug.  
"Hey Marc, what were you saying about not showing us around?" Jenni asked glaring over at Marc and Ron.  
"Thanks Luke, Thanks a lot." Marc said leaning close. At that, everyone laughed.  
*  
The next few weeks or so was fairly hectic. The group gathered after meals for a bit every day and they chatted at spare moments.  
After a while they settled into a routine of classes and homework. Mia and Luke still found time to explore and did so with great enthusiasm. Of course their companions always asked what they've found. One night they were quite interested in the pair's findings. It was a late October Friday at lunch that Marc decided to do something about it.  
"Hey you two, do you mind if I join you, say tomorrow?" he asked to two Ravenclaws, as the seven friends gathered for a chat.  
"You want to join them Marc?" John asked incredulous. He couldn't believe that his friend would want to do such a thing.  
"That's a good idea Marc. Can we all come?" Jenni asked Luke who was sitting across from her.   
"I guess you can, if you want to, but we start fairly early on weekends." Mia said looking uncertain.  
"Just how early is that?" Eric asked.  
"Lets see." Mia started looking thoughtful, "We usually get up at half past four and then start our rounds at five." she told them with a shrug, "Though we do usually look for new was to the hall for breakfast."  
"Okay, we'll meet you guys down here at four or five thirty for breakfast." Luke said clapping his hands together. Then the bell rang for the start of classes and the group scattered in their different directions.   
John wasn't to happy about the prospect of waking up early the next morning and told Marc so in double potions that afternoon.  
"Really Marc, do you really want to wake up at four thirty in the morning?"  
"NO, but still," Marc said leaning closer, "Mia might like it."  
"Oh, yeah great idea. Couldn't you ask them to explore later, like at a decent hour?"  
"John, it makes sense to have it so early."  
"Really, why?"  
"No one else is up to impede their exploration." Marc explained to his friend.  
"Then why don't they explore at night? Hmmm?"  
"Because, that's against the rules. You're not supposed to be out and about at night."  
"So they go out at four in the morning?" John said, a little too loudly for Professor Snape, who teaches potions, looked and told them to stop chatting. 


End file.
